Adventures on the Bozeman Trail
By Grace Raymond Hebard and Earl Alonzo Brininstool in 1922
The allure of gold, a siren’s call in the mid-19th century, drew restless souls westward, transforming landscapes and shaping destinies. Before the iron horse stitched the nation together, the promise of instant riches fueled a feverish migration. California first beckoned, its streams yielding fortunes, but the ephemeral nature of gold rushes soon shifted the focus to new horizons.
Colorado, in the summer of 1859, teemed with an estimated 150,000 gold-seekers, a transient population driven by hope and ambition. However, disillusionment awaited many, and a third eventually retreated eastward, defeated by the harsh realities of the West and the demanding mining districts surrounding Pike’s Peak.
For those unwilling to relinquish their dreams of fortune, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana emerged as promising alternatives. The trails leading to these nascent mining camps pulsed with a renewed eagerness, fueled by rumors of significant "strikes." Ironically, the fields abandoned in the initial rush often proved just as lucrative as the new discoveries, but the irresistible temptation of overnight wealth proved too strong for most to resist. The narrative of the Old West is deeply intertwined with the Adventures on the Bozeman Trail.
Wyoming, though not as intensely consumed by the gold craze as its neighbors, contributed significantly to the gold production of the 1860s through South Pass City, nestled north of the famed South Pass. Gold was initially discovered in this area as early as 1842 by a member of the American Fur Company, but it wasn’t until 1857 that serious prospecting began. Forty men thoroughly explored the Sweetwater River, uncovering gold throughout the stream and its tributaries. By the fall of 1861, with gold abundant in Colorado, Idaho, and Montana, approximately sixty men established claims along Willow Creek, the lifeline of South Pass City. Mining activities centered on Carissa Gulch by 1863, with intermittent gold developments continuing for decades.
Fort Bridger, Wyoming, in August 1863, became a gathering point for teams heading to Bannack camp, many having abandoned the gold fields of Pike’s Peak. Disgruntled miners from Montana, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and California sought their fortunes in South Pass City. By 1868, this bustling mining camp boasted a population exceeding 4,000, which continued to grow the following year. In 1869, the roads leading to South Pass City were congested with eager prospectors. However, the camp’s prosperity waned as the readily accessible deposits were exhausted. Today, South Pass City is a picturesque ghost town, home to a handful of residents and remnants of what was once Wyoming’s most thriving mining camp. The journey through the West would lead many pioneers to experience the Adventures on the Bozeman Trail.
The discovery of gold in southwestern Montana in late 1862 led to the birth of Bannack, which quickly swelled to a population of 2,000 to 3,000 by January 1863. Bannack served as the territorial capital for a brief period after Montana’s organization in 1864, before the capital was relocated to Virginia City following the discovery of gold in the Beaverhead Valley. Virginia City was initially named "Varina" in honor of Mrs. Jefferson Davis, but the name was soon changed to distance the town from the Confederacy amidst the ongoing Civil War.
The allure of Virginia City drew the population of Bannack en masse, transforming the new mining camp into a bustling hub of 10,000 by 1864. Virginia City remained the capital until 1866, when it was moved to Helena, another promising mining camp. Telegraph lines connected both camps to Salt Lake City by 1866, operated by John Creighton as a branch of his mainline along the Oregon Trail. The sheer volume of letters dispatched from these western mining camps served as a testament to their burgeoning populations. In 1863, Virginia City sent 6,000 letters eastward through Salt Lake City, an accumulation from ten days when the stage was not operating.
Helena, originally known as "Last Chance Gulch," transformed into a bustling camp in 1864, quickly becoming a key shipping point for mining supplies. Situated on a direct route from Fort Benton to Virginia City, Helena was 140 miles from the fort and 125 miles from Virginia City. The road connecting Helena and Fort Benton followed the west bank of the Missouri River, offering relatively easy travel, although a mountain trail existed on the river’s east side.
The character of the people drawn to Montana was generally respectable and law-abiding, lacking the typical rough-and-tumble element often associated with gold discoveries. Demonstrating a commitment to intellectual pursuits, Helena established a public library as early as 1868 to cater to the reading public. Alder Gulch, another rich source of precious metal, yielded $10,000,000 in gold between 1863 and 1869, supporting a population of 14,000 in 1864. Summit, Virginia City, and Nevada City collectively mined $30,000,000 in their first three years.
However, like Junction, Montana City, and Central City, these boomtowns often experienced rapid decline as their resources were depleted, leading to a population shift towards larger camps. By 1870, Bannack’s population had dwindled to 381, Virginia City to 867, Helena to 3,106, Gallatin to 152, Nevada City to 100, and Bozeman to 574. The stories of these towns are forever etched into the Adventures on the Bozeman Trail.
The Idaho and Montana mines were easily accessible from Fort Hall via the Oregon and California Trails, connected by a newly established road running northeastward from the old fort. In 1862, the discovery of gold in Idaho’s Boise Basin triggered a stampede from other camps. By the spring of that year, the trails leading to Boise Basin were teeming with miners from California and Nevada, farmers from Oregon and Washington, and a diverse mix of emigrants from east of the Rocky Mountains.
In the year following the gold discovery, at least 30,000 people flocked to the Idaho diggings, driven by an insatiable desire for the precious metal. The concurrent gold rushes in Montana and Idaho created a region characterized by intense activity, great wealth, and a degree of lawlessness.
Supplies flowed into these camps from Walla Walla, Washington, with $20,000 worth of dry goods being transported over the trails in November 1863. Utah also contributed, sending pack trains loaded with provisions over the Salt Lake and Virginia City road. Gallatin Valley, Montana, became a favored destination for agriculturalists, producing abundant grain and vegetables to feed those working in the mines. By 1867, the Gallatin Valley yielded remarkable crops of wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, and vegetables, exceeding the needs of the local growers and allowing them to supply provisions to other parts of Montana where crops were scarce.
The fluctuating populations of these mining camps initially comprised earnest and respectable individuals seeking to earn a living. However, they were soon followed by those who preyed on the earnings of others, including gamblers, road agents, and murderers. Eventually, a sense of decency reasserted itself, leading to the formation of Vigilance Committees dedicated to establishing law and order. People accustomed to established governments were unwilling to tolerate the rule of the gun and the dominance of desperadoes and road agents. Public sentiment gradually shifted towards law and order. The Adventures on the Bozeman Trail would come to be defined by this shift.
These organized criminal gangs raided camps and operated along the roads connecting them. In Montana, their symbol was a distinctive knot tied in their neckties, facilitating identification. They frequently stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from miners and merchants. To protect themselves and their property, vigilantes organized, apprehended suspected outlaws, and acted as judge, jury, and executioner. The hanging of a few robbers often provided a temporary check on lawlessness.
The people of Montana only resorted to vigilante justice when forced to take drastic measures to dismantle and expel the growing number of desperadoes that threatened to engulf the camps in terror. The hardships of mining under the watchful eyes of Native Americans were compounded by the constant threat of bandits. No single individual dared to punish the guilty who openly flaunted their crimes. The lawlessness persisted until formal courts were established and laws were enacted by the legislature, but the lingering fear of the vigilantes helped create a more peaceful and bearable environment.
Montana also attracted many deserters from the South and those unsympathetic to the Union cause during the Civil War. Measures were implemented to assess their loyalty, beginning at Fort Bridger, where emigrants traveling the Salt Lake-Virginia City Road were required to take an "iron-clad" oath of allegiance to the United States. Refusal to take the oath barred further travel.
To improve transportation between the Yellowstone and Columbia Rivers, Congress allocated funds in 1857 for a proposed wagon road from Fort Benton, the westernmost navigable point on the Missouri River, to The Dalles, the head of navigation on the Columbia River. The construction of this road was intended to facilitate the transportation of supplies from Missouri and California, as well as from Oregon to Montana, benefiting the mining camps in the region.
Lieutenant John Mullen oversaw the construction of this military wagon road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton, which became known as the Mullen Road. Preliminary work began in 1858, but Indian hostilities delayed its completion. The initial focus was on the section from Fort Benton to the Snake River. The road was partially operational by 1860 and fully completed by 1862. This established a crucial transportation link between the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, challenging the dominance of the Oregon Trail. The Mullen Road alleviated freight congestion on the central trail by shortening distances, reducing hardships for emigrants, and circumventing Indian raids along the Sweetwater and North Platte Route. The large migration of 1862 saw some settlers remain on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Montana. Four steamers from St. Louis reached Fort Benton, and 350 emigrants traveled the Mullen Road to the mines of the Salmon River.
For many miles, the Mullen Road followed an ancient trail used by Native Americans for their annual buffalo hunts between the Pacific and the eastern slopes of the mountains. Centuries of travel had carved some sections of the trail as deep as twelve inches.
Bozeman City, located just west of Bozeman Pass, was founded in 1864. Fort Ellis was built in 1867 to protect the pass, situated within 16 miles of the territory inhabited by thousands of hostile Native Americans to the east. Before the fort was operational in April 1867, the governor of Montana called for 600 mounted volunteers to hold the pass and deter Indian incursions. Many of these volunteers brought gold panning equipment with them, hoping to strike it rich while clearing the road. The government eventually equipped these men for battle until regular soldiers arrived. In 1867, news of the dire situation at Fort C.F. Smith prompted John Bozeman and a companion to travel to the besieged fort, but Blackfeet Indians killed Bozeman along the way. The legacy of Adventures on the Bozeman Trail would forever be tied to the life and death of its namesake.
By 1865, Montana’s population had reached 120,000, requiring a steady supply of goods not produced within the territory. The influx of gold seekers from the Pacific coast into Montana’s goldfields created a population dependent on external sources for food, clothing, and mining supplies. While goods could be transported via South Pass and Fort Hall, this route required crossing the continental divide twice before reaching Montana. Alternatively, goods could be shipped by boat up the Missouri River to Fort Benton, but the subsequent overland journey to the camps involved traveling through 300 miles of Indian territory and was approximately 500 miles longer than a proposed road east of the Big Horn Mountains.
The mines of Idaho and Montana represented a major transportation hub, prompting efforts in 1865 to establish a new road running north from the North Platte River west of Fort Laramie. This road, known by various names including the Montana Road, the Jacobs-Bozeman Cut-off, the Bozeman Road, the Powder River Road to Montana, the Big Horn Road, the Virginia City Road, the Bonanza Trail, the Yellowstone Road, the Reno Road, and the Carrington Road, eventually became known as the Bozeman Trail.
In the fall of 1860 and the spring of 1861, the Stuart brothers, James and Granville, discovered gold while prospecting in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. They wrote to their brother Thomas, then mining in Colorado, describing the rich finds and urging him to come north. Thomas shared this letter with other young miners.
In the spring of 1862, twelve young men left Colorado for Montana, arriving in June. Among them was John M. Bozeman, the namesake of the Bozeman Trail, the city of Bozeman, and the Bozeman Pass.
Driven by a thirst for adventure and a desire to see the West, Bozeman left his wife and two children in Coweta County, Georgia. After settling in Montana, Bozeman became determined to find a shorter cross-country route to the States, significantly reducing travel times to the Montana mining camps, particularly Bannack and Virginia City.
During the winter of 1862-1863, Bozeman and John M. Jacobs left Bannack, then a promising mining camp, for the Missouri River with the goal of identifying a shorter route for emigrants and freighters bound for the Montana goldfields. The existing routes were the water route up the Missouri River, the established Oregon and Overland Trails to Fort Hall, and the Fort Hall-Virginia City route.
While exploring the south side of the Yellowstone River in search of a road to the North Platte River, Bozeman and Jacobs were followed by Sioux warriors, who eventually stole their horses, ammunition, and guns, leaving them stranded and defenseless. The Native Americans likely believed that the white men could not survive in their territory without these essential items.
Bozeman and his companion endured extreme hardship, wandering for days, starving, shoeless, and footsore, surviving on grasshoppers. Despite these challenges, they eventually reached the Missouri River. In the spring of 1863, Bozeman led a wagon train of freighters and emigrants, determined to retrace his route on the east side of the Big Horn Mountains. However, approximately 100 miles northwest of Fort Laramie, the Native Americans challenged the white men’s right to use their hunting grounds, forcing the train to retreat to the Sweetwater. The men eventually found safe passage into Montana by traveling along the western slopes of the Big Horn Mountains. Bozeman did not accompany the train but instead attempted to traverse his road again.
Leaving the North Platte River with nine men, Bozeman defied fate and ventured north into territory teeming with hostile Native Americans, a roadless distance of 700 miles. Traveling by night to avoid detection and enduring immense hardship, Bozeman eventually reached the summit of the Belt Mountains between the Gallatin and Yellowstone Rivers. There, George W. Irvin, a member of Bozeman’s train, named the pass Bozeman Pass.
A journal entry from Captain James Stuart, dated May 11, 1863, provides another glimpse into Bozeman’s life.
"Looking across the river, about a mile above us, I saw three white men with six horses, three packed, three riding. They were corning down the river, and I waited until they got opposite us. Then, I hailed them. They would neither answer nor stop but kept the same course at a faster pace. I then sent Underwood and Stone ahead of our pack train to overtake them and hear the news… We started to meet the strangers, not doubting, but our men had overtaken them… We met our men returning without having seen anything of the travelers… We followed them for ten miles and then gave up the chase. It seems that as soon as they got out of our sight, they had started on a run and kept in ravines and brush along the creek for about three miles till they got into the hills… We found that we could not overtake them. We found a frying pan and a pack of cards on their trail. None of us know who they are, where they come from, or where they were going."
It was later revealed that the three travelers were John Bozeman, his partner, and his eight-year-old daughter, en route from the Three Forks of the Missouri River to Red Buttes on the North Platte River. They were searching for a new wagon road, which they discovered and named the "Jacobs and Bozeman Cut-off," another name for the Bozeman Trail. A few days prior to the encounter with Stuart and his men, Bozeman had a skirmish with Native Americans, leading him to believe that Stuart’s party was another band of Indians, prompting him to flee.
In 1864, Bozeman led a large train from the Missouri River along his cherished route between the Black Hills and the Big Horn Mountains. Jim Bridger also led a train along a new route he had discovered west of the Big Horn Mountains and down Clark’s Fork. Bridger argued that Bozeman’s proposed road east of the mountains was impractical. Despite Bridger’s head start, Bozeman arrived in the Gallatin Valley ahead of him. From there, the two trains raced to Virginia City, arriving only a few hours apart.
In 1864, Bozeman again successfully led an emigrant train along his chosen route to the Yellowstone River and into the Gallatin Valley. The ease of travel, the shorter distance, the abundance of water, timber, grass, and game, and the time saved quickly made this the preferred route to Montana, overshadowing other established lines of travel. The road became known as "the Virginia City Road" and "the Bighorn Road," but ultimately, the name of the man who dared to challenge the Native Americans became the accepted name: the Bozeman Trail.
In July 1864, one emigrant train consisting of 150 wagons, 369 men, 36 women, 56 children, 667 oxen, 194 cows, 79 horses, and a dozen mules, valued at $130,000, reached the goldfields via this contested path. The influx of even a single caravan of this size ignited Native American hostility, as it signaled the destruction of wild game and the loss of control of their land. The Powder River country, with its many streams, became a contested battlefield.
In April 1867, Bozeman and Tom Coover were traveling along the Yellowstone River towards Fort C.F. Smith when they encountered Native Americans who stole some of their horses. On April 20, while preparing lunch, five Native Americans entered the camp, leading the stolen horses. Bozeman, believing them to be friendly Crow, invited them to share the meal. Without warning, two of the Native Americans shot Bozeman. Coover escaped into the bushes. The Native Americans stole the horses and blankets but did not scalp Bozeman. It was later discovered that the attackers were Blackfeet, fugitives from their tribe who were living with the Crow. The tale of Adventures on the Bozeman Trail has a tragic ending, with the death of its namesake.
Two days after Bozeman’s death, Coover provided the following account of the murder:
General T. F. Meagher, Virginia City
"Sir: On the 16th, accompanied by the late J. M. Bozeman, I started for Forts C.F. Smith and Phil Kearny. After a day or so of arduous travel, we reached the Yellowstone River and journeyed on it in safety until the 20th inst., when in our noon camp on the Yellowstone, about seven miles this side of Bozeman Ferry, we perceived five Indians approaching us on foot and leading a pony. When within 250 yards, I suggested to Mr. Bozeman that we should open fire, to which he made no reply. We stood with our rifles ready until the enemy approached within 100 yards, at which Bozeman remarked: “Those are Crow; I know one of them. We will let them come to us and learn where the Sioux and Blackfeet camps are, provided they know.” The Indians meanwhile walked toward us with their hands up, calling, “Ap-sar-ake” (Crow).
They shook hands with Mr. B. and proffered the same politeness to me, which I declined by presenting my Henry rifle at them, and at the same moment, B. remarked, “I am fooled; they are Blackfeet. We may, however, get off without trouble.” I then went to our horses (leaving my gun with B.) and had saddled mine when I saw the chief quickly draw the cover from his fusee, and as I called to B. to shoot, the Indians fired, the ball taking effect in B’s right breast, passing completely through him. B. charged on the Indians but did not fire when another shot took effect in the left breast and brought poor B. to the ground, a dead man. At that instant, I received a bullet through the upper edge of my left shoulder. I ran to B. I picked up my gun and spoke to him, asking if he was severely hurt. Poor fellow! his last words had been spoken some minutes before I reached the spot: he was ‘stone dead.’ Finding the Indians pressing me and my gun not working, I stepped back slowly, trying to fix it, which I succeeded after retreating, say, 50 yards. I then opened fire, and the first shot brought one of the gentlemen to the sod. I then charged, and the other two took to their heels, joining the two saddling B’s animal and our packhorse immediately after B’s fall. Having an idea that when collected, they might make a rush, I returned to a piece of willow brush, say 400 yards from the scene of action, giving the Indians a shot or two as I fell back. I remained in the willows for about an hour when I saw the enemy across the river, carrying their dead comrade with them. On returning to the camp to examine B, I found but too surely that the poor fellow was out of all earthly trouble. The red men, however, had been in too much of a hurry to scalp him or even take his watch – the latter I brought in. After cutting a pound or so of meat, I started on foot on the backtrack, swam the Yellowstone, walked 30 miles, and came upon McKenzie and Reshaw’s camp, very well satisfied to be so far on the road home and intolerable safe quarters. The next day I arrived home with a tolerable sore shoulder and pretty well fagged out. A party started out yesterday to bring in B’s remains. From what I can glean in the way of information, I am satisfied that there is a large party of Blackfeet on the Yellowstone River, whose sole object is plunder and scalps.
Yours etc. (Signed) T. W. Coover
Gallatine Mills, Bozeman, April 22, 1867"
The Native American perspective on Bozeman’s killing is captured in a dictation by George Reed Davis, a Crow interpreter:
"In the year 1867, about the last of May or June 1, I was at Fort Laramie in the service of the government, and here, the tribe of the Crow were gathered to sign a treaty with the government at that time. At this time, a war party of young bucks (Crow) set out from the vicinity of Fort C.F. Smith to steal horses from the settlers in the Gallatin Valley. With this party of Crow were five (four) Piegan Indians, renegades from their tribe at that time, among them being Mountain Chief and three sons, one of whom was named Bull. Being successful in their raid for horses, the band started, on their return, with about 200 head of horses and had reached a point six miles below Mission Creek and about 16 miles east from the present of Livingston when they met two white men traveling up the river. I learned one of these was J. M. Bozeman and his companion, T. W. Coover, one of the discoverers of gold in Alder Gulch.
Not wishing to harm the whites or to be harmed by them, the Crow passed on, but the Piegan shortly disappeared from among them, which fact was not discovered for some time. The latter did not appear for some time, so the Crow started to hunt them up and found that they had killed Bozeman while away. The Piegans returned to camp with the Crow but, in November, returned to the Piegan tribe in northern Montana. Afterward, during the following years, the three sons of Mountain Chief and two other Piegans set out as a war party to steal horses from their former friends, the Crow. [They] were discovered by a band of Crow warriors under the leading warriors of the Crow tribe, Pretty Eagle and Ball Rock, in the Judith Gap in Judith Basin. [They] intercepted them and killed five of them. The Crow recognized them as the sons of Mountain Chief who had just left their camp and who killed Bozeman."
April 1, 1896 (Signed) George Reed (“Crow”) Davis
Nelson Story, a pioneer of Bozeman, erected a monument in the Bozeman cemetery over John M. Bozeman’s grave, overlooking the city that grew up after he ushered in its first settlers. W. S. McKenzie provided Story with additional information regarding Bozeman’s death.
The two (Bozeman and Coover) had just finished dinner when the five Native Americans who had stolen our horses came up… They asked for food, and Bozeman good-naturedly consented to cook something for them. The only weapon the Indians had with them was an old gun, which we call a Mississippi yager. Bozeman had a Spencer gun, which he laid aside while cooking, and Coover, who stood nearby, had a first-class Henry gun. I had advised Bozeman not to let any Indian get close to him. The thing to have done when those Indians appeared with their demand for something to eat was to have killed them, for their presence meant no good, but Bozeman was a reckless man and never could see danger anywhere. While Bozeman cooked, he talked to one of the Indians. Suddenly, an Indian from behind the shelter of the one to whom Bozeman was talking fired at Bozeman. The ball struck him in the abdomen, killing him instantly… They found Bozeman’s body and buried it where it lay but could not get the Indians. Three or four days later, the body was disinterred and brought to Bozeman and buried in the cemetery… Mountain Chief, one of the renegade Blackfeet, I saw at Fort C.F. Smith the year after. I tried to get the commanding officer to put him under arrest, but the officer feared the Indian would be hanged and trouble would ensue, so he would not accede to my request.
The monument bears the inscription:
"In memory of John M. Bozeman, aged 32 years, killed by Blackfeet Indians on the Yellowstone River, April 18, 1867. He was a native of Georgia and was one of the first settlers of Bozeman, from whom the town takes its name."
A newspaper correspondent wrote from Union City, Montana Territory, on October 21, 1867:
"The three murderers of Colonel Bozeman came in and received their annuities recently at Fort Benton and bore their gifts straightway to the hostile camps. Two of them were sons of a chief who professed to be at peace with the whites. He does the part of diplomacy while his sons and followers rob and butcher. A large portion of the annuities received by this tribe go to those who are on the warpath; he shields the fraud and aids the merciless enemy."
David B. Weaver crossed the plains via the Oregon Trail to Fort Laramie and then to Montana via the Bozeman Trail in the summer of 1864. The wagon train left the Missouri River at Omaha on May 21 and arrived at Emigrant Gulch, Montana, on August 27. The data from this journey and the incidents occurring along the way shed light on daily travel and the dangers encountered. The wagon train took until June to travel from the starting point to Fort Kearny, Nebraska.
Traveling along the north side of the North Platte, commonly called the Mormon Trail, Fort Laramie served as a resting place on June 25. The Indian paths north of the fort were full of Native Americans, prompting the small train of 20 wagons to wait for reinforcements.
After crossing the Platte River on a toll bridge operated by a Frenchman named Richard (pronounced "Reshaw") to the south side, the wagons waited until July 12 for reinforcements, bringing the total to 68 wagons. Shortly before their departure, Captain Townsend led a wagon train north on the Bozeman Trail, meeting with disaster.
Cyrus C. Coffenbury, who had many wagons at the crossing, combined Weaver’s train with his own and was elected train commander with the title of Major. The train was divided into four divisions, each with a captain. Leaving the Platte River on July 12, the train experienced no difficulties until reaching the Powder River on July 22, where they learned of the tragedy that befell Captain Townsend. Ten days earlier, Townsend had been attacked by Sioux warriors, who killed four of his men. The naked and mutilated bodies of the soldiers bore witness to the savagery of the Native Americans. Four empty graves near the bodies testified to the enemy’s desecration of the remains.
After reburying the bodies, the train continued, reaching Tongue River on July 29, approximately 172 miles from the North Platte River. By August 4, they were 62 miles beyond the Tongue River, camping on the Big Horn River. Here, they found "the object of our quest," color in the sand and gravel. Stretching towards the Yellowstone River, which they finally reached on August 14, the train followed the stream for nine days before finding a fordable place.
The trail eventually led them west to a canyon 150 miles from their first sighting of the Yellowstone River. In the valley, many men were prospecting for gold, attracting some of the train members who decided to try their luck.
The party separated at this point on the Bozeman Trail, as the train members had different destinations. Some wished to continue to Virginia City, while others were drawn to prospecting along the Yellowstone River.
On August 8, Weaver reached Emigrant Gulch with some of his men who wished to seek their fortunes in the Yellowstone Valley. In this gulch, excited gold washers were working the gravel. Thus, the "quest" surrounding the Bozeman Trail led to the disbanding of the train, with each man pursuing his own fortune.
The success of this well-organized train, protected by its members, supported the government’s argument that inadequate mobilization and incompetent leadership contributed to the dangers of traveling the Bozeman Trail.
In the summer of 1866, Hugh Kirkendall and others were traveling the Bozeman Trail with a train of household goods and merchandise bound for Montana. At Brown’s Springs, a branch of the Dry Fork of the Cheyenne River, the Native Americans attacked the train, resulting in a day-long running fight. As the fighting progressed, the number of Native Americans increased, suggesting that all the warriors in the Powder River country had gathered for a final assault.
After repelling the attackers with heavy losses, the merchants reached within forty miles of Fort Phil Kearny, where a scout was sent to request military protection. However, they were informed that the fort did not have enough soldiers to ensure its own safety, let alone escort the train. The settlers questioned the purpose of building three forts along the Powder River Road if they lacked sufficient troops to protect both the fortifications and emigrant trains. The soldiers were effectively trapped within the forts, while the Native Americans taunted them from the surrounding hills. The Adventures on the Bozeman Trail were fraught with danger and uncertainty.
The challenges faced by one wagon train on the Bozeman Trail in the summer of 1866, amidst intense Sioux unrest, were representative of many caravans traveling to the Montana goldfields.
The trail followed the Union Pacific construction up the Platte. The journey was monotonous until the train left the railway line and turned towards Fort Laramie. At Fort Laramie, the pilgrims left the beaten path, planning to take the Bozeman Trail into Montana.
At Fort Laramie, freighting outfits were waiting for reinforcements, and government authorities warned small groups of emigrants about the dangers of traveling without a strong guard.
There, the freighters joined a stockman with 3,000 head of cattle from Texas, and a wagon train carrying groceries destined for Montana’s mining camps. The combined force set out for the Powder River country, the Big Horn, Bozeman, and Virginia City. Consistent use of such large combinations could have reduced the number of attacks along the trail and saved lives, cattle, supplies, ammunition, and guns. The government was establishing a chain of military posts along the trail, commanded by General Carrington. Fort Reno was completed, and Fort Kearny was under construction.
The train traveled on without major incidents. The countryside teemed with Native Americans, and there were signs of past conflicts: burned wagons and dead livestock. At times, the Story outfit spotted Native Americans at a distance. The train was not openly attacked until it was within ten miles of Fort Reno, likely due to Story’s knowledge of the country.
On the edge of the badlands, the train was attacked. There was a brief engagement, likely an attempt by the Native Americans to test the train’s defenses. A flight of arrows was unleashed, but no one was killed. The cattle were eventually recovered, and messengers were sent to Fort Reno for assistance.
An hour earlier, the train had encountered a Frenchman and his son, who were making camp for the night. Despite the invitation to join the larger group, the Frenchman declined, saying he feared the white men more than the Native Americans. The next day, the fallacy of traveling alone became apparent: the Frenchman and his son were killed, their bodies mutilated, their wagons burned, and their horses stolen.
Leaving Fort Reno, the train pushed north and west towards Fort Phil Kearny, where General Carrington was overseeing the construction of the main fortification on the Bozeman Trail. Soldiers from the fort forbade the train from advancing closer, as the meadows around the fort were reserved for government stock. They were also warned not to proceed further north due to the presence of Native Americans.
The train was camped three miles from the post, beyond the reach of the soldiers if attacked. They were forbidden to proceed, and the soldiers could not leave their construction duties to escort them. After two weeks of waiting, the entire train, oxen, wagons, cattle, and men, disappeared, moving silently beyond the fort under cover of darkness. The Native Americans were more afraid of the twenty-seven men of the train than the 300 soldiers at the partially built fort on the Piney. The troops had old-style Springfield rifles, while the freighters had Remington breech loaders, a superior weapon.
The success of traveling by night convinced the train that it was safer than traveling during the day. They rested during the day and traveled after sundown. The train was attacked three times during the day, but the attacks were easily repelled. As the train moved further north, the Native Americans became less numerous. It was estimated that 3,000 Native Americans were near Fort Phil Kearny on October 22. The Fetterman fight occurred two months later.
These night marches eventually brought the train to Fort C.F. Smith, where the Crow had their villages. From there, they journeyed northwest and forded the Yellowstone River at the location where Fort Fisher was to be built. Due to a lack of soldiers, General Carrington could not construct the fort. The train slowly made its way down Emigrant Gulch to Bozeman, encountering no further Indian troubles. Finally, they reached Virginia City, completing the journey.
Oxen were primarily used for freighting to the Bozeman Trail forts because Native Americans did not value cattle, and the region was rich in wild game. The Native Americans coveted the white man’s horses and mules, for which they were willing to make great sacrifices. There were no regular stage lines on the Bozeman Trail; the military transported mail from the Platte to Fort C. F. Smith. Mail for Fort Ellis, Bozeman, and Virginia City was delivered via the river route from Fort Benton or the Virginia City Stage Road from Salt Lake City.
During the months when the Missouri River was navigable, there was no heavy freighting west of Fort C.F. Smith on the Bozeman Trail. Supplies were shipped to Fort Benton or Benson’s Landing at the head of navigation on the Yellowstone, about 30 miles southeast of Fort Ellis, and then redistributed to the various camps and cities in Montana.
In the fall of 1866, Nelson Story took his oxen and wagon team filled with flour and vegetables to Fort C.F. Smith, where he sold the supplies to the government. Story regularly supplied this fort with food until the trail was abandoned in 1868, though no traffic occurred east of the fort due to Sioux hostilities. The hostile Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho were seldom troublesome west of Pryor’s Creek. The Blackfeet Indians were the primary source of conflict along the Bozeman Trail.
If the Santa Fe Trail was a road of commerce, the Oregon Trail was the home seeker’s path, the Overland Trail was the route of the mail and express, and the Bozeman Trail was the battleground of the Fighting Sioux. And so, the Adventures on the Bozeman Trail will forever be etched in the history of the American West.